Harlech Tower, Acton, West London
Harlech Tower is a towerblock on Park Road, Acton, West London, and part of the South Acton Estate, now known as Acton Gardens. The towerblock is near several others on the same estate and was used as the exterior scenes of "Nelson Mandela House" in Only Fools And Horses from 1981 to 1985. From 1988 to 2003 the exterior scenes of the tower were filmed at a towerblock in Bristol. Harlech Tower was last seen in To Hull and Back. The 1986-1988 episodes in between To Hull And Back and Danger UXD did not features exterior shots of "Nelson Mandela House", in which location filming had moved to Bristol. Harlech Tower did feature in the opening titles of every episode ever made, long after filming ceased there. In 2009/2010, Harlech Tower once again made an comeback in the shows franchise when it appeared in the Only Fools And Horses prequel Rock & Chips (trilogy), set in 1960. History Construction of Harlech Tower began in 1968 and it was completed the following year, along with the other 2 identical towerblocks on the South Acton Estate, called Corfe Tower and Beaumaris Tower. A 4th taller towerblock was built called Barrie House. Barrie House was to the south of Harlech, Corfe and Beaumaris Tower. Usage in Only Fools And Horses Harlech Tower was chosen by Ray Butt in 1981 when the show was being prepared. The estate that the towerblock was on looked very working class, so felt suitable for a new sitcom about market traders who lived in a flat in a towerblock. A caretaker took Ray, the set designer and the shows writer to a flat in the towerblock and the designer took some notes. Harlech Tower was used as the exterior of Nelson Mandela House for the first 4 series and the 1985 Christmas special To Hull and Back. In the late 1980s filming switched to a towerblock estate in Bristol. Whitemead House in Ashton in Bristol was the new towerblock used, it did look very different to Harlech Tower and is right next to Bristol Football Ground. Usage In Rock And Chips Harlech Tower was again used in Rock And Chips (Prequel to Only Fools And Horses), set in 1960, in which it again doubled as Nelson Mandela House for the first episode of the prequel. Inbetween OFAH and R&C In October 2001, the 22 storey Barrie House was demolished in a controlled explosion. The land where the towerblock stood was redeveloped with lower rise housing. After Rock And Chips filmed there in 2009-2010 Talks have been made as far back as 2011 about demolition of the towerblock to make way for flats. In January 2019 it was announced that Harlech Tower was to be demolished to make way for flats. Del Boy actor David Jason has called for a preservation order to be put on the iconic tower block, however the towerblock is to be redeveloped. Ref:- https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/only-fools-horses-tower-block-13806747 Since 1981-1985, the South Acton Estate and surrounding areas has had several buildings redeveloped. The older lower rise buildings opposite the 3 towerblocks is being redeveloped with medium rise apartment blocks. Appearances in Only Fools And Horses This is a list of the episodes of OFAH that Harlech Tower appeared in, and the scenes in each episode the towerblock appeared in, as well as other part of the housing estate. *Go West Young Man (15 Sep 1981) - The garage blocks, and the forecourt of Harlech Tower appeared in the scenes where Rodney drove the dodgy car around the estate and then Del sold the dodgy car to the Australian Man. *Cash and Curry (22 Sep 1981) - A few brief shots of the tower appeared in the freeze frame sequence where Del and Rodney were raising £2000. *A Slow Bus to Chingford (6 Oct 1981) - The forecourt, dust chute and entrance to stairwells appeared when the Trotters drove the bus into the estate and Del found Grandad had conned him and chased him up the stairs, with Rodney trying to calm Del down. *The Russians Are Coming (13 Oct 1981) - The forecourt and entrance doorway appeared when Del, Rodney and Grandad were practising the 4 minute warning before a nuclear attack. *Diamonds Are for Heather (30 Dec 1982) - The playground outside Harlech Tower appeared where Del was playing with the son of his new girlfriend Heather. In the scene where Grandad is saying how Del got berated by the caretaker, you can see a couple of towerblocks in the background which have since been demolished for lower rise housing. One of them was Barrie House, and there was another one further behind. *Happy Returns (21 Feb 1985) - Pathways outside Harlech Tower, a doorway, and the neighbouring towerblocks were seen. *To Hull and Back (25 Dec 1985) - The exterior of Harlech Tower was seen when Del threw the money out of the window, money he thought was fake. Even though a different towerblock in Bristol was chosen in later episodes, Harlech Tower appeared in the opening titles of every episode of Only Fools And Horses from 1981 to 2003, alongside Beaumaris Tower in the penultimate shot of the titles. It is said that in the final shot, of the camera panning up the tower, that this is Beaumaris Tower. See also South Acton Estate, Acton, London Gallery only fools acton pic 1.png|Another shot of the South Acton estate, taken by me. Harlech Tower is the tower at the back of the 2 white towerblocks. Ofah aussie.png|A Only Fools scene filmed on the Harlech Tower Estate in 1981, "Go West Young Man". Ofah joan on balcony in rock and chips.png|Harlech Tower is seen again in the OFAH prequel Rock and Chips set in 1960 Ofah trotters on balcony in rock and chips.png|Harlech Tower seen in "Rock And Chips". ofah towers opening titles.png|Harlech and Beaumaris Tower in the penultimate shot of the OFAH opening titles. Category:Only Fools And Horses filming locations.